Many modern applications are designed to work with large quantities of data. Often this data can include a plethora of data entries that are similar in form, but differ in content. For example, a corporate address book may include thousands of entries with each entry including a name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. In many cases, the data is stored as a directory.
Applications have been developed to help manage directories. Many of the directories and associated applications are based on set of protocols, such as the X.500 protocol or the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). These protocols may include a set of directory operations as part of the protocol definition. For example, the protocol may specify a set of commands for updating data in the directory.